🫁 Vital Capacity Calculator
Estimate your predicted lung vital capacity from age, height, and sex, and see how a measured spirometry reading compares to that predicted value.
What is vital capacity?
Vital capacity (VC) is the maximum amount of air a person can forcibly exhale after taking the deepest possible breath in. It is one of the basic measurements taken during spirometry, a common lung-function test.
How the prediction is calculated
This calculator uses the classic Baldwin, Cournand & Richards reference equations, which estimate predicted vital capacity from age and height:
- Male: VC (L) = (27.63 − 0.112 × age) × height (cm) ÷ 1000
- Female: VC (L) = (21.78 − 0.101 × age) × height (cm) ÷ 1000
If you enter a measured vital capacity from an actual spirometry test, the calculator also shows that value as a percentage of the predicted figure, which is how clinicians typically express lung-function results (values roughly 80% or more of predicted are generally considered within a normal range, though normal ranges vary by reference standard and population).
This tool is for general educational and planning purposes only. Actual lung capacity varies with ethnicity, body build, fitness, altitude, and health conditions, and predicted-value formulas are approximations. It is not a diagnostic tool — interpret real spirometry results with a qualified healthcare professional.